Topic: Potato berries

[Gordonmull]

This is the first year I've had a variety that berried. Just to double check, because I've never heard of it happening, but these won't seed if they are dug in, will they? The entire patch is littered with them.

[Silverleaf]

Just being nosy here: what variety is it?

I'm interested in true potato seed, got some berries from my Desiree and I'm looking forward to seeing how they grow in the spring.

[galina]

This is the first year I've had a variety that berried. Just to double check, because I've never heard of it happening, but these won't seed if they are dug in, will they? The entire patch is littered with them.

Theoretically possible, but in practice this does not happen.  The potato berries will rot during winter and the seeds with them.  The seeds are like tomatillo seeds,  much thinner and smaller than tomato seeds.  If you did want to start off potato plants you would need to extract these seeds and mollycoddle them in heated conditions like we do with tomato seedlings in spring.

The winter cold will prevent any of this happening, unless there are exceptional circumstances.  You won't get a bed full of tiny seedlings.

[Jayb]

but these won't seed if they are dug in, will they

I agree with Galina, they are very unlikely to mass germinate and grow in our less than ideal conditions for potato seed our UK climate gives, without some nurturing. Although I did read recently that someone (in northern Europe) apparently  had some potatoes germinate when they left seed pods under a hedge in a dry and sheltered spot.

[Gordonmull]

Thanks folks, I was dreading the job of picking them all up!

Silverleaf, funnily enough they are mostly Desiree although I've got some Shetland Black mixed in there too.

[Silverleaf]

Ooooh, interesting!

I really must look up which varieties produce berries and get some for next year. I think I got 6 berries from 8 Desiree plants, but it would be fun to try a few others.

[Tee Gee]

Don't want to put the mockers on your idea guys but I hope you are very patient as you will need to be if you are planning to gone this route!

They can take five years or more to get to what I would call an edible tuber size!

Many years Ago I gave it a try and sadly the variety I ended up with was not as good as the parent crop so other than it being an interesting experience it turned out to be rather a waste of time!

But hey! Go for it if you want to, all I am doing is warning you of a potential outcome.

I believe the scientists are going down a slightly different route in so far as I think they are using micr- culture where I guess they germinate the seed in year one then propagate vegetative parts of the seedling in culture dishes to speed up the process!

Best of luck I for one look forward to how you go on as I just love experimenting.

[Silverleaf]

That's fine, I have patience!

[Jayb]

My experience is you can get many sown tps to give a fair size crop in the first year from a March sowing. Although it isn’t going to be the same size as if growing from seed tubers but then that perhaps isn’t the first year object. It does let you see which plants are likely to make a large crop if selected to be grown the next year. When sowing they do need to be treated to warmth and good growing conditions to get them started before being planted out after risk of frost. Growing TPS for mini tubers in their first year works well, you can select for colour, shape,  taste, earlies etc without taking up too much room and then grow them on as mini tubers or if large enough pull starts the following season.

Silverleaf, if you want to try a few types of TPS next year I’ve quite a few types I can share from previous years, I’ve both selfed and intentional crosses.  I’m hoping to be able to harvest some seed this year, but as I was late getting my potatoes planted it’s a bit early to know for certain yet.

[Silverleaf]

Jayb, that sounds awesome, thank you! I'll definitely take you up on that. :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

I grew TPS this year; I lost most of them to a fox which dug them up rooting for worms, and more to the blight. I've got several plants still going happily, one in flower. They'll produce mini-tubers which I'll grow on next year. I want to cross them with other varieties and try to produce something worthwhile and blight resistant.